Why Do We Wear Perfume?

How fragrance shapes mood, meaning, and self.

The other day I was noticing my 24-year old son getting ready for work. He’s a barista at a café here in San Francisco, which means he spends a lot of time interacting with customers. I watched as he stood at the bathroom counter, carefully selecting a fragrance from a small collection, then dabbing it precisely onto his arm and neck. He lifted his wrist to his nose a few times, checking to make sure the scent was just right. Then he took one last look in the mirror, adjusted his shirt, checked his hair, and quickly headed out the door.

It was a small moment in a daily routine, but it stayed with me all day. And it got me thinking…

Why do we wear perfume?

As a Gen-Xer, growing up in the 80’s and 90’s, our fragrance behaviors were shaped by seemingly cliché perfume ads in glossy magazines and TV commercials. But today’s Gen-Z, like my son, are heavily influenced by social media. In fact, a recent Economist article revealed that TikTok’s short-video format has swayed more than two-thirds of Gen Z Americans’ fragrance buying habits. And, as the beauty category’s fastest growing segment, it’s no wonder that fragrance sales are projected to reach $106 billion by 2028.

A Tool For Expression

Throughout history perfume has played a vital role in shaping how we present ourselves to the outside world. Like an invisible, three-dimensional aura, the scented molecules we wear can convey a range of messages to those around us.

“Perfume heralds a woman’s arrival and prolongs her departure.” ~ Coco Chanel

The most obvious, and cliché, perhaps is to use scent to attract others - to seduce a potential partner through means beyond physical appearance. Lore has it that even the most unattractive can earn favor through scent.

Another motivation might be to earn status - to make a statement and present yourself as something more than you actually are. The TikTok sphere is littered with influencers claiming certain perfumes can make you appear “rich” or “accomplished” even when you’re simply working a minimum-wage job.

Then there are those who want to create a certain “vibe” - whether that’s to seem glamorous, cool, or playful, scent can act as a persona to be worn the same way you choose an outfit. Perfume is the third dimension to an otherwise visual look that gives emphasis to the statement you want to make.

Of course, nobody wants to smell bad, right? We also wear perfume because we want to feel confident, and project that through a perception of good hygiene - smelling clean and fresh signals health and good grooming, which reassures others that you take good care of yourself.

“If you wear a different perfume every day, I do not recognize you.” ~ Oscar de la Renta

Then there are those who want to be identifiable and so wear only one perfume, a signature scent, which becomes deeply associated with them. It’s a way to be instantly recognizable without having to say a word, or even be present in the room. It allows you to be remembered.

But, more recently I’ve seen an interesting trend where perfume is used to express art. Young people today are particularly open to this, becoming willing muses for avant-garde perfumers by using their skin as a canvas to project edgy, sometimes provocative, even intentionally off-putting, commentary. It’s masterful, using fragrance as a wearable art piece.

An Anchor For Self Care

Beyond what we show the world, we also wear perfume simply to please ourselves. We turn inward for reward. Here our sense of smell is ideal for emotional support, and scent becomes a willing collaborator.

At its most primal, perfume can be used to set a mood - whether that’s to lift you, or shift you, every fragrance provides its own unique emotional support. You can accentuate a mood you already have, or move towards one you wish you did. This is the opposite of signature and identity; it’s fluidity, transformation, and the freedom to be someone new each day.

But perfume can also be used to really feel something; to get out of your head and into your body. It’s a physical connection in an increasingly disconnected world. The occasional whiff of a worn perfume can bring you back to the present throughout the day.

Some people say wearing perfume is to express a form of self love. Just like you might treat yourself to a handcrafted soap or a cashmere sweater, indulging in a fine fragrance is simply doing something nice for yourself; a quiet ritual of self-recognition.

Of course, perfume can also be worn to bring comfort, and a feeling of safety. Scent can distract from the stress and anxiety of the everyday. Integrated into a daily routine, the waft of a fragrance cues the familiar and trusted, reminding us that everything will be ok.

“Perfume is that last and best reserve of the past, the one which when all our tears have run dry, can make us cry again.” ~ Marcel Proust

And one that I hear quite often is that they wear a perfume to feel nostalgic - whether that’s to conjure memories of loved ones, favorite places, or particular moments in time, we form relationships with our favorite fragrance and they evoke remembrances of our life’s journey.

To me it’s clear, perfume lives close to the skin, yet speaks volumes. What makes it beautiful is how adaptable it is, for it meets us wherever we are, and becomes whatever we need.

Why do you wear perfume? I’d love to know.

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This week on my podcast An Aromatic Life:

In this week's whiff of wisdom, artisan perfumer Anjali Vandemark shares what inspired her to become a perfumer and how she approaches her creative process.

If you enjoy this whiff, do spread the insight by sharing this episode with your friends and family. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss an episode.

Lastly, if you want to dive deeper into Anjali’s work, why not go back and listen to the original full conversation - episode #93.

You can listen to this episode and many more on Apple podcast, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts.